The Big Dipper
by 2028
Summary: Tag to Jet44's Fraudulent Perception. How does Don react?


Tag to 'Fraudulent Perception' by Jet 44. You need to read that story first. Really people, it is a great story. Jet44, thank you for letting me write on your story.

Spoilers for Janus List.

* * *

"Could someone explain to the raspberries?"

David had mentioned that the rest of the team had stayed at the office to give him space and a chance to get his feet back under him, but truth be told, Don was sick of being alone and he wanted to see all the people who helped get him out of prison.

He had called the office only to find out that Nicki and Liz had taken off, but Colby was still there. Don invited him to help eat the pizza his dad ordered. Colby arrived right before they were about to eat Don's constellation cake.

Before answering Colby's question, Don looked at Charlie hoping his brother remember the conversation they had had earlier; by the looks of the cake, he had.

Don started, "You know Larry and how he has a tendency to interrupt the regular conversation with factoids about space?"

Charlie continued the technical part of the explanation "He had just finished reading a study about the molecules that make the colors in the Milky Way and he told me one of the primary molecules was ethyl formate which is also the molecule that gives raspberries their favor". Charlie picked up one of the raspberries off the cake and stuck it in his month with a flourish.

"Hey" Don protested, but at the moment, he was too content to start an argument with his brother about vandalizing his cake.

"So you still have not told us why there is a constellation on the cake". Colby said impatiently. He noticed Alan's slight grimace out of the corner of his eye, but didn't ask.

"Patience grasshopper".

"I am not a grasshopper, Charlie" Colby replied.

"Okay, you know that I was arrested after I spend the crop data to Pakistan".

"Not a fond memory Charlie" Alan spoke from his place slightly outside the group.

"Sorry Dad. Anyway Charlie was held in the same detention center as me. In the same cell in fact" Don smiled triumphantly.

"And you know this how?" Colby asked.

"There is a patch of paint above the bed in the cell that is uneven and it feels like a constellation. When I was there, it reminded me of Larry and after I got out, I told Don about it…" Charlie trained off when Don started talking.

"And when I was there, I found that patch of paint and I kept looking at it and thinking about Charlie and you guys and hoping that I got out of there before my trial date. It really looks like a constellation" Don reassured them.

There was a lull for a second as no one was exactly sure what to say. Colby looked at David and saw discomfort on his face. David struggled the most when Don went to prison and after Colby came back to the team. David felt a responsibility and a sadness when these things happened to his friends. While Colby had tried to joke him with during the case, David still carried more than his share fair of guilt.

"I propose we eat the cake before it melts" Charlie said after another beat of silence.

"Charlie, cake doesn't melt" Don said while Alan went to find serving utensils and the rest of the party distracted themselves setting out plates and silverware.

"It does when it has ice cream in it". Alan replied as he returned and smiled at the look on his son's face.

* * *

"So ice cream cake is not your thing, huh Granger?" Don asked as he walked over to Colby, much like he had earlier with David.

"Not after the second piece. Why is your dad giving us enough food to feed an army?"

"Dad is big into comfort food" Don answered.

"Is is helping?" Colby asked carefully. Don shrugged.

"What did you do when you got home?" Don asked Colby.

"Cleaned out my fridge".

"That is the first thing you did when you got out of the hospital?" Don not excepted it to be so mundane, when again, he had no idea what he thought Colby had done.

"What we are talking about here Don?" Colby asked.

"You hated getting arrested by me. I saw your face." Colby knew what Don was getting at.

"No, Don I didn't see this as payback for that".

"Then why didn't you let David or Nicki do it?"

"Is it important Don?"

"Yea, Colb, I want to know".

"When you arrested me I was frustrated that my cover was blown, but mostly it just hurt. It was an embarrassment, being arrested and interrogated by my own team. I knew how it felt and maybe that didn't matter much to you at the time, but I just felt like…."

Don knew what Colby was trying to say. That was one of the advantages of working with the same team for so many years, you learned to read into their pauses and their unfinished sentences.

"Thanks. For that and fighting to stay on the case. If if had gone to trial, I would have been convicted".

"It makes me worried for all the innocent people in prison who weren't FBI agents. Who is going to make sure they aren't wrongly convicted?" Don continued.

"David told me about your new training plan. I wouldn't worry about that happening to any more of our cases". Colby tried to lighten the mood, but he could tell Don wasn't ready for that yet.

"It is strange" Don said after a second. "I spend so much time thinking by myself, sitting there in silence by myself and now I have all these people to talk with and I don't really know what to say".

They were silence for another couple minutes. The rest of the group had stayed in the dining room, eating cake and pizza. Colby and Don been slowly migrating towards the living room. Don looked at the rest of his friends and families and in the low light with the rain falling outside, they looked like they had a rosy haze surrounding them. Don knew all he had to do was step closer to them and the haze would extend to include him, but he just needed another second to process.

He turned back to Colby. "You were in general?"

"For a couple hours. The prison put an end to that pretty quick". Colby snorted, sounded a little sounded closed off, like he hoped he could avoid his feelings if he put up a thick enough shell.

"Any particular reason for that change?"

"People don't like dirty cops, Don. Lucky it didn't take you a black eye for them to figure that out with you".

"No, just an insecure guard". Don paused again. This conservation was full of pauses, but Don felt the pauses said a lot.

"Well, all I know is" Colby started. Don looked at him. "I am never quitting my day job". Don laughed in agreement.

"Hey" David popped his head in. "Are you guys going to let Robin eat the last piece of cake?"

Don started walk to away and glanced once over his shoulder to shoot Colby a look. He felt a certain amount of kinship with him after that conversation, more than usual. Then Don remembered how he had treated Colby during his arrest and he thanked his lucky stars that his team had believed in him. Don returned to the dining room just in time to take the fork out of Robin's hand. David joined Colby in the living room.

"You okay?"

Colby didn't answer right away, seeming to think before he said

"Yes".


End file.
